Remontowa Group Opens Service Centre in West Africa

Remontowa Group are commencing operations in West Africa providing direct access to Remontowa's experience and know-how for owners and operators of offshore support vessels.

The new entity, Remontowa Marine Services Namibia, will increase Remontowa presence and after-sales client support operations in Africa's growing offshore market. The major areas of operation to be covered by Remontowa Marine Services Namibia(RMSN) will be offshore industry based in Angola, Nigeria, Gabon and Namibia and others countries in West Coast of Africa.

The new Remontowa company will be mainly responsible for servicing offshore support ships belonging to shipping and offshore companies co-operating with Remontowa Group (owners and operators of newbuildings delivered by the Gdansk, Poland - based group as well as those bringing their ships to Gdansk for repairs or conversions). Thus, Remontowa moves closer to Clients operating on thriving West African shelf oil and gas exploration and production developments. Ship repairs, maintenance and servicing ship equipment will thus be performed locally instead of bringing ships to distant European yards. This will reduce downtime and costs for operators of offshore support vessels fleets on West African waters.

"We have chosen Namibia because, from our point of view, this is the optimal location for establishing a service center" - explains Klaudiusz Stolarski, president of the new entity in Remontowa Group. "The company's range of operations will cover mainly servicing ships either built at Remontowa Group yards or vessels sent to Gdansk for repairs, maintenance or conversions and upgrades by shipowners and operators who have been collaborating with Gdansk Ship repair Yard "Remontowa" SA for years so far. We are moving closer to the Client. We want to be present with our services, where they are most needed - close to offshore oil and gas fields."

West Africa appears to be the world's third biggest and busiest area of new offshore oil and gas developments. Offshore oil and gas production’s growing continuously, while new discoveries are being announced offshore Tanzania, Gabon and Namibia.

"Offshore support fleet comprises high-earning vessels, so every single day of downtime is very expensive for the owner or operator, too. Therefore, short reaction time, mowing closer to the Client, being available on the spot is just what the market expects from us " Klaudiusz Stolarski adds and continues: "Initially the company will employ over 20 specialists, both Polish staff and local employees to be trained by us. This is the plan for the first year of the company’s operations in West Africa, with options for development beyond the first year."

Remontowa Marine Services Namibia operations, based in Walvis Bay, are scheduled to commence from May, 2012.